CRAP...is it the death rattle?!

the98stang

Active Member
Aug 12, 2005
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Clovis, CA
So I think my car has been making this noise for a while...and by a while I mean months. So I think if my motor was going to die, it would have done it by now.

But here's the deal. I was running Mobil 1 synthetic 5w-30 with a motorcraft filter, and I noticed while driving it in the mornings, it would make a metal rattling/knocking noise. I could NOT here the sound at idle. But as soon as I drove it, the noise would appear out of no where around 2000 rpm. Then the noise would go away around 3000 rpm. This would all happen with a cold engine. Once the engine warms up, the noise is gone. So I drained the 5w-30 oil and searched for metal particles in the oil. There was nothing to be found.

I did a compression test and all of the cylinders showed 190-202 psi. This would indicate tons of carbon buildup on the pistons, although I unknowingly did the compression test on a cold engine with all of the plugs in the car but the one I was testing. However I don't think that affected my test results that much. So based on the compression test I know the piston rings are fine as well as the valves. I took some seafoam and put it in the PCV and crankcase. I'm letting it sit overnight and tomorrow I'm going to start it on the cold engine.

I don't think it's making the noise at idle, but maybe my exhaust is covering up the noise? Or maybe I'm just parenoid and the sound only occurs at certain RPM's. The noise is very faint, and I have to pay attention to hear it. Tomorrow my Autometer oil pressure gauge comes in so I can check the pressure.

Man does this blow. I havn't even sprayed my car yet and this ***** happens :( :notnice: . I guess Mustangs will always squeek, rattle, and make noises :shrug: . Some one help me please.

Tanner
 
I noticed that mine makes noise when cold after I changed to Mobil 1 5w 30 and a ford filter. This is not the first that I have read about engine noise appearing using synthetic oils when cold then going away when warmed up. maybe it's our type of lifters bleeding down:shrug:

Ram
 
bad rod bearing?? but that wouldnt really explain the noise going away when it gets warm, unless the bearing explands enough when it gets warm to fill the gap.

my buddy had a similar problem on his supra and it turned out to be a bad rod bearing.
 
gotchopsticks said:
bad rod bearing?? but that wouldnt really explain the noise going away when it gets warm, unless the bearing explands enough when it gets warm to fill the gap.

my buddy had a similar problem on his supra and it turned out to be a bad rod bearing.

guy at the shop told me a spun bearing/ bad bearing would knock all of the time.

I can hear it at idle, but this noise is super quiet. I've heard stangs with spun bearings, and this doesn't even come close to that sound.
 
gotchopsticks said:
did the guy at the shop say anything about piston slap??
WERD...
Sounds like textbook piston slap to me too. From my experience with blown motors, you wouldn't have 2 days driving it if it was a spun bearing, much less more than 2 months. I got 10 miles after the knocking started on my last spun bearing (pushing an sbc too hard). Look into piston slap and I'd bet what you see is exactly what is happening.
 
2 Things you should consider... is it possibly your throw out bearing? It can sound like its in the engine bay...

Also it could be injector ticking? Its get s louder over time, but I was told not to worry about it by 3 different dealers :(
 
Thats crazy, I have the same problem, mines usually in the 2200 RPM range. I only have 37k on the car. It'll go away once its warmed up. Also I run mobile one full synthetic as well with a motorcraft filter. It just happend after I switched over from fram to motorcraft filters. I thought it was a lifter but you guys know more than I do. Any other thoughts on what could be causing this?
 
Ran some seafoam through it, didn't really cure the noise though, and I didn't expect it to.

I don't think this is piston slap because that noise would be pretty loud. The noise is very faint. It seems I can only hear it with the radio off and both windows rolled up. I can't even hear it when driving in an alley or next to a sidewide. This has me stumped.

Tomorrow the oil pressure gauge and water temp gauge are going in. Maybe those will help me a tad more.
 
Sounds like a TO bearing.Try the Temp remedy. Take off the little box on the driverside trans it taks like a 11mm socket I think or the standard equiv and put a little lithium grease on the bearing. Use the tube; and just put a little right on it. A bad TO bearing, like the one I had will chirp at idle with the clutch out and sometimes I could hee it at higher RPMs. Push the clutch in and the sound changes its the TO bearing.
 
Jsun3701 said:
Sounds like a TO bearing.Try the Temp remedy. Take off the little box on the driverside trans it taks like a 11mm socket I think or the standard equiv and put a little lithium grease on the bearing. Use the tube; and just put a little right on it. A bad TO bearing, like the one I had will chirp at idle with the clutch out and sometimes I could hee it at higher RPMs. Push the clutch in and the sound changes its the TO bearing.

no this is nothing close to a TOB...I've heard them before

Oil pressure is good and the compression test checked out. So imma run this b1tch like I stole it! If the engine blows, it blows :lol: . Then a MMR900 goes in:D
 
1jfuddle said:
WERD...
Sounds like textbook piston slap to me too. From my experience with blown motors, you wouldn't have 2 days driving it if it was a spun bearing, much less more than 2 months. I got 10 miles after the knocking started on my last spun bearing (pushing an sbc too hard). Look into piston slap and I'd bet what you see is exactly what is happening.

My 02 GT has been death rattling when cold for years. It's a very nasty noise but the car seems otherwise strong. I just stay out of it till it reaches operating temps...